Adjustable flow bean



May 21, 1957 J. A. MOOSMAN ADJUSTABLE FLOW BEAN 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 29, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1954 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent ADJUSTABLE FLow BEAN Jack A. Moosman, Glendale, Calif., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Johnston Testers, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation of Texas Application March 29, 1954, Serial No. 419,424 9 Claims. (el. 16s-226) This application relates to an adjustable flow bean for use in oil well testing tools and more particularly to an adjustable flow bean in which the bean size may be changed by rotation of the well string relative to the testing tool.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a well testing tool having a flow bean with various sized bean openings spaced longitudinally along a central mandrel, and wherein the central mandrel may be moved longitudinally of the testing tool to selectively bring the various sized beans into register with the test ports by rotation of the well string relative to the testing tool.

Various other objects of the instant invention will become apparent in reading the following detailed specification in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the upper end of an adjustable ow bean embodying the principles of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a continuation of Fig. 1 and shows the center portion of the tool.

Fig. 3 is a continuation of Fig. 2 and shows the lower portion of the tool.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a similar view to that shown in Fig. 3 illustrating a modification of the bean structure.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 3 8 of Fig. 7.

Referring now to the drawings, there is disclosed a tool comprising a sub 11 adapted to be connected to the lower end of the well string (not shown) by means of the threaded box 12 at the upper end thereof. Threaded into the lower end of the sub 11 is an upper tubular mandrel 13 having a portion of enlarged diameter 14 at its lower end. A multiple section housing generally indicated at 15, comprising sections l through 21 is provided, the tubular housing having an internal bore therethrough dening an inner surface of the housing 15,

the bore being radially enlarged at f2 adjacent the upper end thereof in section 17 of the housing. The upper mandrel 13 is slidably and rotatably carried in the housing bore, with the enlarged portion 14 of the mandrel received in the enlarged bore 22.

A packing gland 23 is inserted in the upper housing section 16 for sealing engagement with the mandrel 13 and is held in place by a packing retaining member 24 threaded into the upper end of the upper housing sec-- tion 15. A split sleeve 25 is slidably mounted on the mandrel .13 above the upper end of the upper housing section 16 and is held in place thereon by means of tangential bolts 26. A thrust bearing 27 is slidably mounted on the mandrel 13 and bears against the upper end of the split sleeve 25. A spring 28 surrounds the mandrel 13 above the thrust bearing 27, the lower end ofthe spring being in abutting relation with the upper end of thrust bearing 27, and the upper end of the spring abutting a threaded collar 29 threaded onto external y 2,792,896 Patented May 21, 1957 threads on the lower end of the sub 11. The spring 28 normally urges the mandrel upwardly relative to the housing to bring the upper end of the enlarged portion 14 into abutting relation with the lower end of the upper and is adapted to abut against said faces to limit the downward movement of the mandrel relative to the mg.

A pair of lugs 31 project inwardly from the inner surface of the housing section 17 adjacent the upper end thereof and are adapted to be received within grooves 32 formed in the outer surface of the enlarged portion 14 of the mandrel 13 adjacent the upper end thereof to prevent relative rotational movement between the mandrel 13 and the housing 15, when the mandrel is in its uppermost position relative to said housing.

A lower tubular mandrel 33 is mounted in said housing with the upper end thereof received telescopically within the lower end of the mandrel 13. The lower portion 14 of the upper mandrel 13 has formed internally housthereof two longitudinally extending grooves 34a which" slidably receive keys 34 mounted on the outer surface of the inner mandrel 33, thereby preventing relative rotational movement between the mandrels 33 and 13 but permitting longitudinal movement therebetween. The lower end of the mandrel 33 is enlarged externally, as shown at 3S, and the external surface of said enlarged portion 35 is provided with external threads 36 which are interengaged with internal threads 37 formed on the inner surface of the housing 18. A lower tubular man-- drel extension section 3S is screwed into the lower man-v drel 33 and extends downwardly in sliding engagement within the housing sections 19 and 20. An O-ring seal 40 is mounted on the internal surface of the upper mandrel 13 and is in sealing engagement with the upper end of the lower mandrel 33 to prevent An O-ring seal 42 is mounted in the external surface of' the piston 41 to prevent any fluid from passing upwardly, between the piston and the housing. Similarly, an O-ring seal 43 is mounted on the interior surface of the piston 41 and is in sealing engagement with the lower mandrel 33.

A plurality of ports 44 are provided in the housing section 17 adjacent the lower end thereof, thus permitting 1 the well uid to fill the space below the piston 41. The

piston 41 is permitted to travel freely upwardly and downwardly between the members 33 and 17 to accommodate varying volumes between said members above said piston, and to equalize the pressures within and without the housing section 17, and prevent the collapsing of the walls thereof. The pressure of the duid entering ports 44 acts downwardly on the upper end of housing section 1S and hydrostatically balances the hous-V Y ing to prevent the housing from floating upwardly relative to mandrel 13 and releasing the lock therebetween.

ln order to prevent the well fluid below the` piston 41 from traveling downwardlyA between the housing section g 18 and the mandrel 33, an O-ring seal 45 is mountedonI the internal surface of the housing section 18 and is in", I,

3 sealing engagement. with the-exterior surface of the-.lower mandrel 33.

Referring now to Fig. 3, the bore of the upper portion of the'housing section 20' hasta slightly lar-ger diameter, as indicated at 46, than the borefof the lower portion, indicated at 47, thus forming an annular, upwardly facing shoulder 43. A ring 49 is'` slidably received in said upper portion 46 and initially rests against the-shoulder 48. A sleeve 50 is slidably received inl the upper por-v tion 46 `of the housing sectionlztlaboveI the ring 49 and' terminates short thereof. An annular member Si is threaded into the upper end ofv the housing section 2i? and holds-thesleeve-tl inplace.. An O-ring SZAmounted in the exterior of the sleeve 50' prevents-fluid from passing between the sleeverStl and, housing section 20.

A packing gland' 56 is mounted in acounterbore section 57 in the lower end of the sleeve 58 to prevent fluid from traveling upwardlybetweentthe mandrel extension 38 and the sleeve 50.. The lower" end ofsaid packing gland abuts the upper end of the ring 49. Similarly, a second annular packing gland 581 held in placey by` a nut 59.threadcd into thelower end of-the sleeve 20-pre vents iluid from traveling downwardly between the mandrel extension 38 `and the housing sectionfZt). Said second packing gland 58 abuts the-lowen end of ring 49 and when said nut 59 is tightened; sa-id ring'49 is lifted off of shoulder 48 and is supported by said packing glands.

The ring 49 has formed in its interior surface a narrow annular groove 53. The nut-59, packing gland 58, ring 49, packing gland 56 and annular member 51 are all fixed in relation to the housing member Ztl and may thus be considered as forming on the inner surfaces thereof an extension of the internal bore through the housing with the mandrel extension 38 being in sliding engagement with these elements, and with the annular groove 53 being formed on the inner surface of the housing member 20. A plurality of radial ports 54 connects the groove53 with a plurality of longitudinal passageways 55 formed in the lower portion of the *housing section 20. The other ends of the passageways S open into the housing bore ofi section 2l below nut 59, and thus below the point of sliding engagement of the mandrel extension 38 with the nut 59.

A plurality of radial ports 60, 61 and 62 are spaced longitudinally along the tubular mandrel extension 38. The ports vary in diameter from the lowermost to the uppermost, whereby ask the mandrel extension 38 is lowcred with respect to the housing, the ports of varied diameter will progressively be brought into register with the groove` 53 and the amount of fluid entering the mandrel extension 38 from the housing section 2l will be metered according to which of the ports 68, 6l and 62 is in register with tllergroove 53. A downwardly opening check valve, indicated generally at 63, closes the lower end of the mandrel extension 3S.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the mandrel extension 3S is divided into two parts 38a and 38b. Three elbow-like members 64, 65 and'66 are inserted in lateral openings in the mandrel extension 38a and are angularly spaced from each otherA by 120 and are further longitudinally spaced from each other 'along the mandrel extension section 38a. The elbows project inwardly of the mandrel extension and the open ends thereof project upwardly. Three relatively short cylinders 67, 68 and 69 are mounted in the open ends of the elbows 64, 65 and 66, respectively, and extend upwardly therefrom. The internal passages 78, 7l and 72 of thc cylinders 67, 68 and-69, respectively, are of valying diameters for the same purpose as the ports 60, 6l and 62 (previously described) shown in the modification illustrated in Fig. 3, andfunction in the same manner. A sleeve 73, havingthree slots., of appropriate. length eut into the lower end thereof, is slidably mounted in the mandrel extension section 3821 with the-upper end of each slot bearing against one of the cylinders' 67, 68 and-69. The-.upper aveasss 4 end of the-sleeve 73 bears against the lower end of the upper section 38b of the mandrel extension 38.

While I have shown a preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in its construction by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters Fatent is:

l. Anv adjustable flowbean comprising a tubular housing having an internal bore therethrough, said bore delining an inner surface of said housing and having a portion of enlarged: diameter `adjacent the upper end thereof, an upper tubular mandrel carried in said housing bore and having a portion of enlarged diameter at its lower end received in said enlarged bore, said housing having formed therein a relatively narrow annular groove on said inner surface spaced from and below said enlarged bore, a` lower tubular mandrel having its upper end slidably but non-rotatably received within said upper mandrel, an enlarged external diameter portion on said lower mandrel below said upper mandrel, external threads on saidenlarged portion'of said lower mandrel and internal threads on the inner surface of said housing between said enlarged bore and said groove interengaged with said external threads, a tubular mandrel extension closed at its lower end and connected to the lower end of said lower mandrel, said mandrel extension being in sliding engagement with said inner surface of said housing below said threads, a longitudinal passageway in said housing providing fluid communication between said groove and the lower end of said housing bore below the portion of said housing which is in sliding engagement with said mandrel extension, said tubular mandrel extension having formed therein a plurality of flow restricting passages connecting the interior thereof with the exterior thereof at points spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension, said flow restricting passages being adapted to be selectively brought into register with said groove by rotation of said upper mandrel relative to said housing.

2. An adjustable flow bean as set forth in claim l wherein the flow restricting passages are in the form of lateral ports of different diameters spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension.

3. An adjustable flow bean as set forth in claim l wherein said flow restricting passages comprise three lateral ports of equal size spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension and spaced circumferentially from each other by a 90 elbow connected at one end to each of said ports, the opposite end of each elbow facing upwardly, and three cylinders of equal length and of equal outside diameters but of different inside diameters one connected to each of said elbows and extending upwardly therefrom within the central longitudinal passage of saidtubular mandrel extension.

4. An adjustable llow bean comprising a tubular housing having an internal bore therethrough, said bore delining an inner surface of said housing and having a portion of enlarged diameter adjacent the upper end thereof, an upper tubular mandrel carried in said housing bore and having a portion of enlarged diameter at its lower end received in said enlarged bore, said housing having formed therein a relatively narrow annular groove on said inner surface spaced from and below said enlarged bore, a lower tubular mandrel having its upper end slidably but non-rotatably received within said upper mandrel, an enlarged external diameter portion on said lower mandrel below said upper mandrel, external threads on said enlarged portion of said lower mandreland internal threads on the inner surface of said housing between said enlarged bore and said groove interengaged with said external threads, a tubular mandrel extension eonnectedat its upper end to the lower end of said lower mandrel, a downwardly opening check valve closing the lower end ofsaidffrnandrel extension, saidr mandrel exten sion being in sliding engagement with said inner surface of said housing below said threads, a longitudinal passageway in said housing in communication with said groove and the lower end of said housing bore below the portion of said housing which is in sliding engagement with said mandrel extension, said tubular mandrel extension having formed therein a plurality of low restricting passages connecting tne interior thereof with the exterior thereof at points spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension, said flow restricting passage being adapted to be selectively brought into register with said groove by rotation of said upper mandrel relative to said housing.

5. An adjustable flow bean las set forth in claim 4 wherein the flow restricting passages are in the form of lateral ports of different diameters spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension.

6. An adjustable ow bean as set forth in claim 4 wherein said flow restricting passages comprise three lateral ports of equal size spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension and spaced circumferentially from each other by 120, a 90 elbow connected at one end to each of said ports, the opposite end of each elbow facing upwardly, and three cylinders of equal length and equal outside diameters but of different inside diameters one connected to each of said elbows and extending upwardly therefrom within the central longitudinal passage of said tubular mandrel extension.

7. An adjustable flow bean comprising a tubular housing having an internal bore therethrough, said bore deining an inner surface of said housing and having a portion of enlarged diameter adjacent the upper end thereof, an upper tubular mandrel carried in said housing bore and having a portion of enlarged diameter at its lower end received in said enlarged bore, said enlarged portion of said upper mandrel being shorter in axial length than the lengt-h of said bore enlargement thereby permitting limited longitudinal movement of said upper mandrel relative to said housing, interengaging means in said upper mandrel `and said housing for preventing relative rotation therebetween when said upper mandrel is in its uppermost position relative to said housing, said housing having formed therein a relatively narrow annular groove in said inner surface spaced from and below said enlarged bore, a lower tubular mandrel having its upper end slidably but non-rotatably received within said upper mandrel, an enlarged external diameter portion on said lower mandrel below said upper mandrel, external threads on said enlarged portion of said lower mandrel and internal threads on the inner surface of said housing between said enlarged bore and said groove interengaged with said external threads, a tubular mandrel extension connected at its upper end to the lower end of said lower mandrel, a downwardly opening check valve closing the lower end of said mandrel extension, said mandrel extension being in sliding engagement with said inner surface of said housing below said threads, a longitudinal passageway in said housing providing Iiuid communication between said groove and the lower end of the portion of said housing which is in housing bore below said sliding engagement with said mandrel extension, said tubular mandrel extension having formed therein a plurality of flow restricting passages connecting the interior thereof with the exterior thereof at points spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension, said flow restricting passages being adapted to be selectively brought into registration with said groove by longitudinal movement of said upper mandrel to its lowermost position relative to said housing and by subsequent rotation of said upper mandrel relative to said housing.

8. An adjustable flow bean `as set forth in claim 7 wherein the flow restricting passages are in the form of lateral ports of different diameters spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension.

9. An adjustable llow bean as set forth in claim 7 wherein said llow restricting passages comprise three lateral ports of equal size spaced longitudinally along said mandrel extension and spaced circumferentially from each other by a 90 elbow connected at one end to each of said ports, the opposite end of each elbow facing upwardly, and three cylinders of equal length and equal outside diameters but of different inside diameters one connected to each of said elbows and extending upwardly therefrom within the central longitudinal passage of said tubular mandrel extension.

Referenees Cited in the le of this patent UNUSED STATES PATENTS 2,657,895 Huber et al. Nov. 3, 1953 2,665,758 Johnston et al Ian. 12, 1954 2,667,927 Johnston Feb. 2, 1954 

